Means for producing novel knitted double-faced elastic fabrics



Dec. 1,1936. 2,062,999'

MEANS FOR PRoDUcING NOVEL KNITTED oUBLE-FACED ELAsTIc FABRICSv F. w. PLUMB 14 Sheetse-Sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1955 Fi v IN V EN TOR.

fe l'z'oI/I/amlg, B'QY f ATTORNEK Dec. l, 1936. F. w. PLUME 2,062,999

MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICSk Filed July 28, 1955 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 zo n jaa

IN V EN TOR: Y Mm-wpzum,

, l, 1936. l F. w. PLUME 2,062,999 kMEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Filed July'za, 1935 14 sheets-sheet 3 .F. W. PLUMB MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Dec. 1, 1936.

14 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 28, 1933 Y INVENTOR: ulcx'mllllmh,

Dec. l, 1936; l F w, PLUME 2,062,999

MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Filed July 28, 1933 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 FLE- 5- IN V ENT 0R:

redmvwllumb,

Dec. 1, 1936.- F. w. PLUMB 2,062,999

MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Filed Ju1y 28, 1953 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENToR: A ederialfllumb,

Dec. 1, 1936.

F. W. PLUMB Filed July 28, 193s` MEANS FOR PRODUGING NOVEL KNITTE DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR: WlZu/mh.

TTORN Y.

F. w. PLUMB 2,062,999

MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Dec. 1, 1936.

Filed July 28, 1933 14 SheeiZS-SheefI 8 Dec. 1, 1936. F )M /PLUME 2,062,999 y MEANS FOR PRODUCING'NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FAGED ELASTIG FABRICS Filed July 28, 1953 14 Sheets-Shoe?l 9 ,gli

- INVENToR:

Plumb,

' ATTOR Y.

Dec.. 1, 1936. F, w PLUME 2,062,999

MEAN FOR PRODUCING NOVL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Y .4/f 50i INVENTOR: "y 'Y .914 500 465 fz'ewmflumb,

Dec. 1, 1936. F. w. PLUME 2,062,999

I 9 MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Filed July 28, 1933 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 Dec. 1, 1936. F, w 'PLUME 2,062,999

MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTEDDOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Filed July 28, 1953 14 Sheets-Sheet l2 uoooooooom/ coooo/o'aoo A TTORNEY.

F. W. PLUMB Dec. 1, 1936.

MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FCED ELASTIC FABRICS Filed July 28, 1933 14 Sheets-Sheet 13 1:11. E- l E Lm (5%) (5&3 C5@ i! Li IM/ENTOR: FrederwI/Illlzzmlg. 3x6

A TToRN F. W. PLUMB Dec. 1, 1936.

MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Filed Ju1y`28, 1933 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 FJ. r2- EL I' INENTOR:

f'edericlflzpmb,

BY ATToRNE Patented Dec. l, 1936 `UNITED STATES MEANS FOR PRODUCING NOVEL KNITTED DOUBLE-FACED ELASTIC FABRICS Frederic W. Plumb, West Reading, Pa., assigner to Narrow Fabric Company, West Readin Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 2s. 1933, serial No. 682,612

vs claims.

This invention relates to elastic knitted fabric and to mechanism by which such fabric may be produced.

The present invention constitutes improve- 5. ments in and to the fabric and mechanism disclosed in the applicants. copending application l plane of one face of the fabric and produce a corded effect thereon.

The above noted prior application discloses a fabric wherein coursewise extending elastic wefts are disposed in uniformly spaced relation to each other throughout the length of the fabric, giving the fabric the same general appearance throughout the whole of the area thereof; and the mechanism disclosed in said copending 'application is arranged and operated to produce such effect in the fabric.

In the present case the appearance of the fabric varies and the fabric is structually different from the fabric of the copending application, in that a continuous sheet of the present fabric, as it comes from the warp knitting machine, includes a number of transverselyA extending areas, each of which differs in appearance and structurally from the area next adjacent thereto, such varying areas being repeated in a predetermined order longitudinally of the sheet; and the mechanism of thepresent case is arranged and operated to produce the fabric in accordance with the prescribed `succession or order of the relatively differing areas. As an example, one order, that'specically disclosed in the present case, includes a relatively narrow coursewise extending area which is devoid of wefts. This non-weft area is followed by a relatively wider area wherein a. plurality of wefts are disposed in relatively close parallel relation to -each other. I'his close-weft area is followed by a still wider area wherein a plurality of wefts are disposed vrelatively farther` apart. This wider spaced weft area is followed by another of the areas wherein the wefts are relatively close together, which completes one repeat of the fabric. Such repeats are reproduced successively throughout the length of the fabric and thereby constitute a sheet composed of a plurality o f units which may be separated in such a manner that each unit will include one relatively wide body portion having the wefts relatively far apart, at each side of which will be a border portion having wefts relatively close together. The border portions of succeeding units are connected by the relatively narrow portions wherein there are no wefts whatsoever. These units are adapted to be separated one from the other by severing the fabric coursewise through the centers of the narrow non-weft areas.

The sheet of fabric may be of any' desired width, in a coursewise direction, depending upon the number of needles employed in oppositely disposed groups of the two cooperating banks of needles by which the fabric sheet is produced.

Y. The units noted are adaptable for' use as elastic` bandages in the production of ladies undergarments, etc., in which case the raw cutv edges produced by cutting the non-weft areas may be covered or obscured in any desired manner, such for example as by over-edge stitching or by folding and hemming in any suitable manner to tie and/or conceal the raw edges of the cut stitch wales. l 'I'he mechanism of the present case, in the greater part, is identical with the mechanism disclosed in the above noted copending application, varying therefrom principally by the provision of improved means for selectively operating the weft-laying mechanism, as will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to .the accompanying drawings; of which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the warp knitting machine illustrating the improved mechanism of the present case as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged left end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig.. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 3 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section, lllustrating, in detail, the mechanism employed for controllingthe laying of the weft threads in the center of the fabric;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation takenon the line' 6 6, Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation 1 1, Fig. 5; l

Fig. 8 is an enlarged end elevation, partly in section, illustrating the mechanism for controlling the laying of the weft threads in the fabric by the mechanism shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7;

taken on the line Fig. 10 is a sectional plan View taken on the line III-l0, Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation taken on the line Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation taken on the line |2--i 2, Fig. 8;

"Figs, 13 and 14 respectively illustrate different pffsitipns of the elements of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a detail sectional elevation taken on the line |5-I5, Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation taken on the line i5-i`6, Fig. 8;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken on the line i'l-H, Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a sectional elevation taken on the line i8-i8, Fig. 8;

Fig. 19 is a sectional elevation taken on the line I9-I9, Fig-18;`

f Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relation between the two banks of needles, a weft-layingtube, the mechanism for operating the weft-laying tube, and the mechanism for controlling the operation of the thread-laying mechanism;

Figs. 21 to 25 inclusive illustrate various steps in the laying of a weft thread between the two banks of needles;

Fig. 26 is a diagrammatic -view of a section of the fabric;

Fig. 27 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the stitch formation in the section of the fabric diagrammatically illustrated in Flg.'26

- Fig. 28 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 28,-28, Fig. 27; and

Fig. 29 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 29'29 Fig. 27.

The machine of the present case, like that dis- I closed in thel above mentioned copending application, comprises two vertical substantially parallel banks of needles which respectively operate against relatively spaced vertically disposed work plates, thespacing of which provides a work slot through which the finished fabric passesfrom the needles to the take-up mechanism of the knitting machine.

'I'he needles of each bank are secured, as a unit, to a needle bar and the -two needle bars are operated coordinately, from a main cam shaft, to produce .the stitches of the two opposite faces of the fabric respectively.

'I'he needles are individually fed with separate Warp knitting threads controlled separatelyby fingers individual to the needles. The thread fingers for one bank of needles are secured, as a unit, to one finger bar while those feeding the individual threads to the needles of the second and for lateral shogging movement relative to the two banks of. needles which, together with the said rocking motion of the fingers, effects wrapping of the individual 'warp knitting threads around theneedles, effecting a tying of the stitches of one face of the fabric to the stitches of the op- 'posite face of the fabric and also effecting tying of the stitches of adjacent wales together at predetermined points throughout the length of the fabric.

During the knitting operations the weft threads are laid in predetermined stitch @M595 by Weililaying tube which, when the needles and thread fingers are at rest, traverses the needles in a plane substantially parallel to,'but spaced from, that of the work slot and carries a weft thread from one v side of the fabric to the opposite side thereof, whereupon the tube is moved longitudinally, perpendicular to the plane of the work slot, from its needle-traversing plane to a position wherein the delivery end of the tube is disposed substantially in the plane of the work slot, whereby the weft thread, which during the traversing movement of the tube extends at an angle from the one edge of the fabric to the delivery end of the traveling tube, is laid in a plane coincident with that of the work slot, i. e. between theplanes of the two banks of needles, whereupon the needles of the front bank are raised to a position corresponding to the position previously attained by the needles of the back bank, to hold the weft between the banks of needles while the weft-laying tube returns to its `normal position in its above noted needle-traversing plane. The warp thread controlling fingers and the needles are then operated to produce a course of stitches which tie the weft thread in the center of the fabric.

The needle traversing movements of the thread-laying tube are effected by a cam cylclutch ofthe weft-laying mechanism is controlled to effectv uniformly repeated Afeed of the wefts.v while the above noted rocking motions ofv said finger bars, coordinately with the sho'gging'motions thereof, are effected b'y a cam or camsvon the main cam shaft of the machine; whereas, in

the present case the clutch of the weft-laying mechanism, which locks the cam cylinder driving pinion to the main cam shaft of the machine, is

under selective control of improved mechanism forming the subject of the present invention and which will be fully disclosed hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings the left and right end frames of the machine are respectively indicated at I and 2,- said frames being spaced apart and rigidly connected by a transversely extending front frame 3 and a corresponding back frame I (see Fig. 5).

The work plates are illustrated at 5 and 1, providing the work slot X therebetween, and the two banks of needles, respectively operating against said work plates, are illustrated at 9 and 9, (see Fig. 2). 'I'he fingers by which the individual work threads are fed to and wrapped around the needle of the banks 8 and 9 respectively are illustrated at I2 and i3, the finger bars being respectively illustrated at i4 and I5, and the shaft by which said fingers are rocked across the work slot X is illustrated at'l. 'rne rock shaft l1 is inuetrated, in Fig. 1, as being under control of a cam 50 mounted on one end of the main cam shaft 20, on which is also mounted the cams Il and l5 by which the vertical knitting movements of the 'needles 8 and 9 are effected.

The pattern shaft by which the shogging motions of the fingers i2 and i3 are effected is illustrated at 5|, the shaft being intermittently rol tated by a modified Geneva movement comprising a notched wheel 58 secured to the pattern shaft 5I. The notched wheel 58 is operated by a second wheel 51 on a vertical shaft 5,5', thelatter being provided at its lower' end with a bevel gear 54 meshing with a bevel wheel 53 secured to the.

main cam shaft 20. The cam shaft 20 is illustrated as being driven through a suitable train of gearing from and by an individual motor 25.

A seriesof the thread-laying tubes is illustrated at |00, |00 (see Fig. 4), said tubes each being carried by asuitable slide mounted in a carriage |03 which is secured to a steel tape or band |20. The tube-operating tape |20 passes around suitable idler pulleys and is secured to anoperating drum |2|, whereby the tape |20 with the carriages |03 is periodically reciprocated to effect the needletraversing movements of the weft-laying tubes |00, and whereby the `slides carrying the said tubes are placed in alignment with rocker arms ||0 which are oscillated in timed relation with the needle-traversing movements of the tubes |00 by a cam ||8 secured to the main cam shaft 20 to move the tubes from their needle-traversing plane to positions with their weft delivery ends coincident with the plane of the work slot X.

The tape drum |2| is secured to a shaft |22 rotatably mounted in the front and back frames 3 and 4 respectively (see Fig. 5), said shaft also being provided with a gear |3| which meshes with a rack |32 by :which oscillation of the shaft |22 and the tape drum i2! is effected to provide the reciprocatory movement Voi? the tube-operating |38, said cam groovecomprising circumferentially extending dwell portions |33 and |40 disposed in substantially parallel transverse planes adjacent v ersing drum the opposite ends respectively-of the drum |38 and which are connected at their opposite ends respectively byv angularly or spirally disposed roller activating portions l4| and |42 respectively, whereby rotation of the cam cylinder |33 will effect the longitudinal reciprocation of the slide bar |33 and which through the mechanism above noted provides a corresponding reciprocation of the tube tape |20.

-The cam cylinder or traversing drum |33 is provided with trunnions |41 and |40 which are rotatably mounted in bearings carried by the cross frames |34 and |35 respectively. On the trunnion |48 is a brake* drum |1| which is periodically applied to effect stopping of the drum |38, by a lever |16' arranged to be engaged 'by` an operating element l|13 mounted on the cam shaft 20.

On the traversing drum |33 is a gear |46 which meshes with a pinion |45 loosely mounted on the cam shaft 20 and provided with arcuate slots |54 which are adapted to receive pins |53 which project laterally from a clutch disc 50 (see Figs. 5 and 6) Thel clutch disc |50 is constantly urged toward the pinion |45 by a spring |5I, for locking the pinion |45 to the camshaft 20 to effect rotation of the traversing drum |33.

The ratio of the gears |45 and |46 is such that for each revolution of the cam shaft 20 the travwhereby the roller |36 on the slide bar |33 moves from one of the end grooves |33 or |40, as thev case may be, through one of the angular grooves |4| or |42, to eiect movement of the tube-actuating tape |20 in onedirection, to carry the weftlaying tubes |00 through 'one needle-traversing movement from onelside of a group of needles arm |33 receives but one-half revolution,

served thereby to the opposite side of said group of needles.

One complete revolution of the carn shaft 20 effects the formation of one course of stitches by the needles 3 and 3 and the one-half revolu-' tion of the traversing drum |33 effects the laying of a weft thread in each course of stitches produced, as long as the clutch' pins |53 remain in engagement with the slots/ |54 of the drum driving pinion |45.

The present invention relates to improved .mechanism for controlling the engagement and The clutch disc |50 is'p'rovided with a hub |52 (see Figs. 5 and 7) having 'a circumferential groove |10 into which vproject pins |69 respectively carried by arms of a yoke lever |60. Theyoke lever |63 is secured to a vertical shaft |66 on the lower end of which is secured a lever |65. The lever |65 is connected by a link |63 to one 30| of a bell-crank lever 3510, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 302vand disposed between`a pair or brackets sus and 304 in which the opposite ends of said shaft 302 are respectively mounted. y

The brackets 303 and "304 (see Figsland 9) are secured to a plate 305 which in turn is secured to the end frame of the machine. In or on the brackets 303v and 304 respectively are formed or carried bearings 306 and 301, which rotatably support a shaft 308 (see Fig. 10) on which is secured a bevel gear 309. The bevel gear `309 meshes with a bevel gear 3|0 secured to the-cam shaft 20;

The second arm 3|| of the bell-crank lever 300 (see Figs. 4, 12, 13 and 14) is connected by a. link 3|2 to the lower-end of a U-shaped clutchcontrolling element' 3I3, by which the bell-crank lever 300 is rocked in a direction to disengage the clutch |45-|50, and by which the elements |45-|50 of said clutch are held in a disengaged relation against the action of the spring |5|, which later, as above noted, tends to effect interlocking engagement of thec lutch elements at al1 times. l

For disengaging the said clutch (see Fig. 12) thelonger leg 3|4 of the U-shaped element 3|3 is provided with a hooked end under predetermined conditions, to be engaged by a blade 3|6 which is secured to the outer ends of a pair of arms 3|13|1 having a common hub 3|3 rotatably mounted on a rod 3|9 secured at bearings 320 and 32| (see 303 and 304 reits opposite ends in Fig. 9) carried` bythe brackets spectively.'

' Intermediate the arms 3|1, 3|1, between the hub 3|3 and the blade 3|6, is a freely rotatable roller 322 (see Figs. 9, 12, 13 and 14) which rides the peripheral surface of a cam or eccentric disc 323. The eccentric cam 323 is secured to the shaft 303 intermediate the brackets 303 and 304 3 I5 arranged,

- bell-crank lever 300 in a direction to disengage the clutch |45-I50.

'Ihe second leg 324 ofthe U..shaped element 3|3 is provided at its upper end with a hook 325,

which, when the said element 3|3 is raised under ,the conditions and in the manner above noted,

moves with a snap action to position over a xed blade 326 which extends across the space betweenv the brackets 303-304 and is rigidlysecured at its opposite ends respectively to said brackets.

Snapping of the hook 325 over the xed blade 326 retains the element 3|3 in a raised position, to which it is moved by the swinging of the arms 3|1, consequently maintaining the clutch |45| 50 in a disengaged position.

The clutch-controlling element 3|3 is adapted to be rocked or flexed to move thev hook 325 oif the retaining blade 326 and to move the second hook 3|5 out of the pathk ofthe movable blade 3|6, by mechanism hereinafter described. The

U-shaped element 3|3 is under direct control oi' a selector needle 330 (see Figs. 12, 13 and 14) which is provided with a loop 33| embracing the two legs 3|4 and 324 of the U-shaped element 3|3. The one end of the needle 330 is slidably mounted in and projects through and beyond the xed blade 326. The opposite end of said needle is bent backwardly upon itself, parallel to the i body of the needle, (see Fig. 14) and is slidably mounted in o ne flange of an angle bar 333 which is secured at its opposite ends to the bracket 303 and 304 respectively.

The extreme end of the reverse portion 332 of the needle 330 is provided with a lip or shoulder 334 between which and the inner face of the bar 333 is mounted a spring 335 which encircles the parallel portions of the needle 330 fand tends at all times to move the said needle longitudinally in a direction whereby the hooks 3|5 and 325 are carried to the positions above noted, intersecting the planes of the blades 3|6 and 326 respectively, for engagement with said blades.

Longitudinal movement of the needle 330 in an opposite direction to release the hook 325 from the ilxed blade 326 and to move-the hook 3|5 out of the path of the movable blade 3| 6 is eil'ected, in the present instance, by a series of cards or plates 336, 336a, which are disposed on, around, and in engagement with, the four'sides or faces of a cross-sectionally rectangular selector cylinder 331,

The selector cylinder 331 is provided, in the present instance, with trunnions 338 and 338 which are rotatably mounted respectively in vertically extending legs 339 of a U-shaped frame 340 (see Fig. 8) formed by said legs being integrally connected by a plate 34|. The legs 333 of the U-shaped frame 340 (see Fig. 10) are mounted respectively on the outer ends oi.' rods 342, 342 which are slidably mountedvin bearings 343, 343 formed respectively on the brackets 303 and 304. The inner ends of the rods 342, 342 are rigidly mounted in bearings 344, 344 formed on plates 345, 345 which are slidably mounted on the bracketl 303, 304 respectively, and which are respectively provided with elongated slots 346, 34B through which the shaft 308 passes.

In axial alignment with the rods 342, 342 are rods 341, 341 which are slidably mounted in bea-rings 348, 348, respectively formed on the brackets 303 and 304. 'I'he inner ends of the rods 341, 341 are rigidly mounted in bearings or lugs 343, 349 formed on the plates 345, 345 at the opposite side of the shaft 308 to that occupied by the lugs 344, 344 in which the inner ends of the rods 342, 342 are rigidly secured.

Secured to the shaft 308 adjacent to the outer side of each of the brackets 303 and 304 and between the lugs 344 and 343 of each of the plates 345 is a heart-shaped cam 350, (see Figs. 10 and 11, the peripheral surface of each of which is engaged at diametricallyy opposite points by the 'lugs 344 and 349 whereby rotation of the said heart-shaped cams, by a corresponding rotation of the shaft 308, effects reciprocation of the plates 345 and consequently the rods 342, whereby the rectangular cylinder 331 is reciprocat'ed laterally toward and away from the projecting end of the selector needle 330.

In the present instance a pair of the plates 336 which are respectively disposed on a pair of opposite faces of the cylinder 331 are, blank, while the plates 336a `disposed respectively on the second pair of oppositely disposed faces of said cylinder are provided with perforations 33617. During an inward movement of the cylinder 331 toward the projecting end o1' the selector needle 330, should one of the blank plates 336 occupy a position in line with the needle 330, as shown in Figs. 12 and 14, said needle.. will be engaged thereby and moved longitudinally to disengage the hook 325 of the clutch control element 3|3 from the fixed blade 326, as shown in Fig. 14, whereby the spring |5| will immediately eiect engagement of the clutch |45 |50, whereby theV tube-traversing cam cylinder |38 will eil'ect a traversing movement of the weft-laying tubes |00 in the course of stitches about to be produced by the cooperative action of the needles 8 and 8 and the fingers |2 and threads are fed to said needles.

i3 by which the knittingy As the shaft 308 rotates in unison with the cam shaft 20 the eccentric 323 will raise the movable blade 316 without engaging the hook 3|5 of the clutch-controlling element 3|3 and at the same time the heart-shaped cams 350 will move the selector cylinder 331 outwardly, thereby moving the plate 336 away from the selector needle 330 and permitting the spring 335 to move the said needle outwardly, which in turn moves the clutch-controlling element 3|3 accordingly.

During the outward movement of the selector cylinder 331 the said lcylinder is adapted to be turned to the extent o1' 90, bringing another of the plates on the said surfaces of the cylinder 331 into line with the selector needle 330.

Continued rotation of the shaft 308 moves the selector cylinder 331 in an opposite direction, that is, toward the selector needle 330.

Should the plate then in alignment with the needle 330 be provided with one of the perforations 33617 the projecting end oi' the selector needle 330 will enter such opening and a corresponding opening in the cylinder 331, (as shown in Fig. 13) without causing any rearward movement of thel clutch-controlling element 3|3 and the hooks 3|5 and 325 thereof.

During this last said movement of the selector cylinder 331 the movable blade 3| 6 is lowered by a spring 35| which swings the arms 3|1 about their pivot 3| 9, consequently the said movable blade will be lowered to a position below the hook 3 I5 of the clutch-coutrolling element 3|3 and the said the upwardly moving blade 3| 6.

yhook 315 will-.immediately snap over the beveled Upward movement of the clutch-controlling element 3|3 rocks the bell-crank lever 300 about its pivot and through the link. |63 disengages the pins |53 of the clutch disc |50 from the slots |54 in the gear |45, the hook 325 of the clutch-controlling element 3|3 at thesame time snapping over the upper beveled edge of the fixed blade 326 (as showr` in Fig. 12), thereby holding the clutch elements in disengaged relationship to each other. At the same time the element |18 on the cam shaft 20 operates to apply the brake to the brake drum |1| on the trunnion |48 of the traversing'fdrum |38, whereby said drum is brought to and held in a xed position. t

The turning ofthe selector cylinder 331, as the said cylinder moves outwardly in the manner above noted, is effected by means of a star or ratchet wheel 351.', which is secured to one of the trunnions 338 of saidselector cylinder 331, being Vsecured to one end of a short shaft 362.

The cylinder 331 is maintained in the position ,c

to which it is turned, by the hook or pawl'353, by means of a spring-pressed plunger (see Fig.

16) having a head 356 simultaneously engaging two o-f the points of the star or ratchet wheel under pressure of a spring 351, which latter encircles the stem 358 of said spring-pressed plunger, said stem being slidably mounted in lugs-359, 359 formed on one of the legs /339 of the U= shaped frame 340. Q

The hook 353, by which the selector cylinder 331 is rotated, is under control of mechanism by which it may be left in contact with the star wheel 352,'to rotate the selector cylinder 331, 90 for each, reciprocation of the U-shaped frame 340, or by which the said hook` may, be disengaged from and held out of contact with the star wheel 352, to permit the said selector cylinder to remain stationary relative to the U-shaped frame 340 so that the operation or non-operation of the selectorneedle 330, as the case may be depending upon whether one of the blank plates .336 or one of the perforated plates 336a is in line with the'said selector needle, will be successively carried out during successive reciprocations of the U-'shaped frame 340 and the relatively stationary selector cylinder 331 carried thereby.

In the present instance the cylinder-operating hook 353 is connected by a link 360 to the outer end of an arm 36| (see Figs. 11 and 16) which is The shaft 362 is rotatably mounted in a-bracket 363 which forms an extension of or is secured to the Also secured to the shaft 362 is an bracket auf. armFB 364 (see Fig. 18) which is provided with a sharp edged projection 365 adapted to ride the peripheral suriaceoi a. control disc 366.

'I'he control disc 366 (see Fig. 419) is provided with a hub 361 which is adiustably-niountedon Ka hub 368 of 'a gearwheel 369, a set screw 310 being provided to Vlock the .twohubs 361 and 368 together as a unit. ',The gear wheel 369 is rotatev ably mounted on a 'stud l31| secured in and projectlng from the bracket 363.- The gear or worm wheel 369 meshes with a worm 312 which is rotatably mounted on a stud 313 secured in alug 314 which projects laterally from the bracket 363. Secured to the .form 312 is a worm wheel 315 which meshes with a worm 316 secured to the shaft 308.

The gearing between the shaft 308 and the disc 366 is such that the said disc receives one complete revolution for a relatively large number of revolutions of the shaft 308 and the cam shaft 20, and in the present instance the ratio is such that the disc 366 receives one complete revoluvframe 340 aseach course of stitches is produced and with the `arriitlsigement disclosed, wherein the blank` plates 336 alternate with the perforated plates 336a on the selector cylinder 331, the clutch |45|50 will be engaged during the-formation offalternate courses of stitches and disengaged during the formation of the intermediate courses so thatthe weft-,laying tubes |00 will be actuated to lay a weft thread in alternate courses of the stitches produced.

In order tok provide portions of the fabric with weft threads in each succeeding course, the disc 366 is provided with a segmental plate 380. The peripheral surface 38| of the segmental plate 380 is of a greater radius than the peripheral -surface of the disc 366, whereby, as the disc 366 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig.. 18, the leading corner 382 of the segmental plate 380 will ride under an inclined surface 383 formed on the arm 364, causing the sharp pointed edge oi the projection 365 of said lever 364 to ride up on to the higher peripheral surface 38| of the said segmental plate 380. In the present case, this operation takes place at a time when one of the blank plates 336 is in line with the selector needle 330. The rocking of the arm 364 by the in turn effects needle-traversing movements of the weft-laying tubes v|00 continuously one traversing movement for each of a number of successive courses of stitches, whereby the weft is laid in each of said successive. courses of stitches. Such continuous operation of the weft-laying tubes continues as long as the point of the pro,

ment with the star or ratchet wheel 352 of the selectorcylinder 331 as said cylinder moves out- -wardly during one of its successive reciprocations.

Dropping `oi! the pawl 353 into engagement with the star wheel 352, as the cylinder 331 moves outwardly, causes the said cylinder to be rotated to the extent of 90 which brings one of theperforated plates 336a into alignment with the selector needle 336. As soon as the cylinder 331 is rotated in this manner the pawl 353 is again lifted out of engagement with the star wheel 352 by the inclined surface 363 of the arm 364 riding an inclined surface 364a which lifts the sharp edge of the projection 365 of the arm 364 out of the indentation 384, whereupon said sharp edge rides a portion 36|b of the peripheral surface 36| of the plate 366.

With vthe perforated plate 336a in line with the needle 336 the projecting end of the needle 336 enters the perforation 336b at each reciprocation l of the cylinder 331, consequently the needle 336 is not moved longitudinally, as a result of which the hook 325 of the clutch-controlling element 3| 3 remains in engagement with the fixed blade 326 and holds the clutch elements |45|56 in disengaged relation to each other during the formation of a number of successive stitch courses, determined by the circumferential length of the portion 38|b of the peripheral surface of the segmental plate 366, whereby the weft-laying tubes |66 do not traverse the needles during the formation of the said predetermined number of courses of stitches, consequently these courses are devoid of weft threads.

As-the disc 366 continues to rotate the sharp edge of the projection 365 of the arm 364 drops into a second indentation 365 formed in the surface 36| of the plate 366, whereupon the arm 364 again drops the pawl 353 into engagement with the star wheel 352 as the selector cylinder 331 moves outwardly, whereby the cylinder 331 is given another 90 rotation bringing the second blank plate 336 into line with the selector needle 336 as the said cylinder 331 again moves inwardly. The outer end of the selector needle 336 is A then engaged by the blank plate 336 causing the hook 325 to be released from the xed blade 326 and permitting the clutch |45-I56 to be reengaged to begin the laying of weft threads in each of a second'seres of successively formed stitch courses as determined by the circumferential length of the portion 36|c of the peripheral surface of the segmental plate 366 on to which the sharp edge 365 is carried by riding up the inclined surface 365a out of the indentationv 365, which causes the arm 364 to pick the pawl 353 and to `hold said pawl out of engagement with the star wheel 352, which leaves the selector cylinder 331 in a flxed position relative to reciprocating U-shaped frame 346.

Continued rotation of the disc 366 brings the trailing edge or corner 366 of the segmental plate 366 under the sharp edge 365 of the arm 364, whereupon said edge of the arm drops oil the edge 366 of the plate 366 into engagement with the peripheral surface of the disc 366, which again drops the pawl 353I into engagement with the star wheel 352so that for each reciprocation of the U-shaped frame 346 the selector cylinder 331 carried thereby will receive a 90 turn. whereby the plates 336 and 336e are alternately brought into line with the selector needle 336 causing the 'clutch |45|56 to be engaged and disengagedyduring the formation of alternate courses respectively, whereby weft threads are laid in the alternate courses in the manner above described. .Y

Fig. 20 diagrammatically illustrates the clutch 'as being disengaged with the weft-laying tube needle 336, whereby the said selector needle is moved longitudinally releasing the hook 325 from the ilxed blade 326, permitting `the clutch |45| 56 -to be engaged, by which one of the needle-traversing movements of the weft-laying tube |66 is started.

Fig. 22 illustrates the selector cylinder 331 as moving outwardly, releasing the selector needle 336 during the said' traversing movement of the weft-laying tube |66 as the clutch |45| 56 remains engaged, the said cylinder 331 during this.

outward movement receiving the 90 rotation bringing one of the perforated plates 336:1 into line with the needle 336.

Fig. 23 illustrates the cylinder 331 as having completed its inward movement whereby the needle 336 has entered the perforation 33611 in the plate 336a as the thread-laying tube 66 completes the said needle-traversing movement thereof, the clutch |45-.I56 still remaining engaged.

Fig. 24 illustrates the cylinder 331 as having completed a second outward movement and a 90 rotation as eiected thereby. l

During this movement of the cylinder 331 'the movable blade 3|6 has engaged the hook 3|5 of the clutch-controlling element 3|3 a's said blade moves upwardly, whereby the clutch-controlling element 3|3 has been correspondingly moved and the clutch element |56 therebyreleased from the clutch element |45, leaving the tube |66 in quiescent state at the opposite side of the group'of needles from which it started, as illustrated in Fig. 20.

Fig. 25 illustrates theA selector cylinder 331 after having moved inwardly with a blank plate 336 inline with the needle 336 whereby the hook 325 of the clutch-controlling element 3i 3 has 'again been released from the fixed blade 326 permitting `the clutch element |56 to engage the clutch element |45, whereby the tube |66 is started on the needle-traversing movement in a direction opposite to that illustrated in Figs.

21, 22 and 23.

cation, by which said threads are tied togetherv at predetermined intervals to produce an area A in the fabric devoid of weft threads.

'I'he area A is followed by the production of an area B whereinthe weft thread Y is laid in each of the successively knit courses of stitches formed by the threads a, b, c. etc., as above described.

'I'he area B is followed by an area C wherein weft threads Y are included in alternate courses of stitches formed by the individual threads a, b, c, etc., in the manner noted above.

Fig. 27 illustrates a portion of the fabric corresponding to the diagrammatic/illustration of Fig. 25 and in addition thereto shows the actual stitch formation of which the fabric is composed, Figs. 28 and 29 further illustrating the manner in which the weft threads Y are disposed inter- 

